Offshore wind capacity set to quadruple by 2030
Summary
Additionally, use of extra equipment on turbines that can monitor visibility, warn of the approach of severe weather and lower health and safety risks should also be considered. In addition to visibility data being used to control the obstruction light brightness on wind turbines, present weather sensors are often installed to enhance the readings. In many applications, a thunderstorm detector is used to help protect people and equipment from the dangers of a lightning strike by providing advanced warning of a storms approach. In wind turbine applications, advanced warning of overhead lightning is of enormous benefit for installation teams as well as for operation and maintenance staff located on-site. With windfarms set to occupy sea footprint the size of London and power 3.4 million homes, it is vital that the structures are utilised to track weather conditions to not only keep up the efficiency of the turbine but to ensure the safety of staff who may be on site.